Welcome to the Piano World Piano ForumsOver 2 million posts about pianos, digital pianos, and all types of keyboard instruments
Join the World's Largest Community of Piano Lovers
(it's free)
It's Fun to Play the Piano ... Please Pass It On!

Daniel, that is how it's done, very nice! And congrats on your first recording.

Now, I have to ask, how did you record it? This has been my white whale; getting a consistent, decent recording. Some I am very happy with, some I am a bit disappointed. After review, my last three were not to the level I desire.

The Clavinovas have a native audio recording function. I just copy it to a USB drive, then use iTunes to convert the WAV file to MP3. It would be handy if the piano could create MP3 natively, but I bet the CPU inside is too slow for real time conversion. Is this what you wanted to know?

I flipped through the P-155 manual and it seems to only record MIDI. I suppose that is why you are asking. What do you use to convert your MIDI to audio?

No, I do not have to convert MIDI. I record from the AUX outs through a recording interface (Focusrite 2i2) to computer. I use a DAW (Mixcraft) to record and convert to MP3. Getting the volume levels correct is the tricky part.

UKIkarus
Full Member
Registered: 03/05/13
Posts: 359
Loc: England, South East

Ahhhh, finally somewhere I can read a few posts on how people are progressing and relate to!

Reading wise I am an absolute beginner myself, I started learning myself by ear (bad habits can be formed I know :() and playing wise my teacher finds me a difficult one... I can kind of play quite a variety by listening and mimicking, I can also improvise and recall from memory rather well but when it comes to sheets, well that's another story entirely :P

I'll be sure to follow the posts in these threads and pop in from time to time about my own progress as I start to see things improve, but it's certainly nice to see that there is help out there for all levels of playing and that we are not alone heck we all have to start somewhere right?

Tough to play Greensleeves when its 106 degrees outside. As far as dynamics and recordings go, I'm not using a pro-level camera and mic to record these so sometimes the dynamics don't translate well. That doesn't count the framing, lighting, etc. Not to mention that I always seem to play 10x better when I know I'm not recording!

Once again, as I was flipping to the page with The Entertainer, I paused at a previous piece and decided to make a recording. Again, it is several pieces back from my current focus, but that seems to be the modus operandi for me. I struggle with a piece just to get a couple decent play-throughs, then a few pieces later in the book, I come back and play it with ease.

I just wanted to comment on some of the recent talk about people not liking songs in Alfred's, etc.

May I suggest that what people aren't liking is their own mind. Our base mind that is part of the nervous system. It doesn't want to sophisticate. Doesn't want to change. In the simpler songs. That sophistication is happening. That part of the mind wants to reject that. Comes up with excuses. Works against us. When all we are doing is obtaining sophistication of the nervous system. I'm sure I have this understood. I first experienced this rejection of the mind in training for marathons. It can get so tough. The mind will literally yell out NO or STOP. Ultramarathoners do them to overcome the mind. Later on in a 100 miler. They will experience plain out hallucinations. That is part of a breaking. A person gets broken about 4 or 5 times during an ultra like that. The breaking gets worse. Overcoming the breaking is what it's all about. To go from broken to get up and proceed. That is where the victory lies.

I can see here in Alfred's that there is a method of training. There are things to work on in songs. It is focusing on teaching certain aspects of sophisticating our muscles/nervous system in a very smart progression. If we don't get it. We can't proceed well. That is a physiological truth. Don't let our base minds undermine our training.

I'm sure I have this understood. I first experienced this rejection of the mind in training for marathons. It can get so tough. The mind will literally yell out NO or STOP. Ultramarathoners do them to overcome the mind. Later on in a 100 miler. They will experience plain out hallucinations. That is part of a breaking. A person gets broken about 4 or 5 times during an ultra like that. The breaking gets worse. Overcoming the breaking is what it's all about. To go from broken to get up and proceed. That is where the victory lies.

rnaple, unfortunately in January this year I had to give up running altogether (and then took up piano). I had run marathons for a number of years before stepping up to 100 km and then into the 100 mile events before age caught up to me. I have great memories of hallucinating last year after being on the go for 35hr lol.

You are spot on about how the mind plays tricks on us to get out of working on something. The secret is to live in the moment to look for something good here and now and not think about what lies ahead. For myself breaking through the mental barriers and completing Australia's toughest ultramarathon is one of my life's highlights. Nothing seems difficult now and has certainly helped in my outlook for learning the piano. Relentless forward progress is the motto of my old running group, sort of how I live my piano life now.

_________________________
Learning piano starts by taking all your confidence and then over many years drip feeding it back to you

[quote=rnaple]...You are spot on about how the mind plays tricks on us to get out of working on something. The secret is to live in the moment to look for something good here and now ....

My teacher understands people's problems in learning. She allows me to work on a piece that is way over my head. But it is something that comes from deeply in my heart. It's the heart that provides the overcoming. She also knows that one piece helps me to do the simpler things in Alfred's and the same the other way. They work hand in hand. I'm glad I have a good teacher who understands teaching well. Look at my signature. Everything there comes into play with this one piece.

Hello, everybody. I've been working on the last 2 lines of Laura, and today it was finally coming together. I transcribed the notes into musescore and then was able to hear the audio playback which helped a lot. It needs a lot more polishing, but I'll probably be able to move on to the last song of the book, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, early next week.

Thanks. Would you actually believe I skipped ahead a bit last December and tried to learn Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, but I couldn't get it learned in time for Christmas?So maybe Christmas in July is a good idea - gives you more time to get them holiday songs learned.

Anyone else in here indulging themselves with Alfred's Greatest Hit's Level 1? If so what songs?

I've taken a short break from the All-In-One for the past two weeks to learn "Nadia's Theme" from Greatest Hits and also to use it get ready for the last three songs in the lesson book as well as helping me polish off "The Stranger" with it's keyboard gymnastics.

Hi Alux, yes I am a returner to piano, a real beginner again! Started Alfred's AIO again! Struggling with the blues pieces ugh, and trying to get to grips with key signatures, so......, I had a look at To Zanarkand, which I had a copy of for ages, but was scared of it, way out of my grasp. Then last week I began to practise it very slowly, a bar at a time, one hand at a time, and I'm amazed to be able to play 4 and a bit bars of it! Yeay, loving my piano again. Had a go at Can Can, sounds bad really slow! Keep at it, you are progressing well.

Just realised, you were talking about Alfred's Greatest Hits. I'm still on Love Me Tender, again slow going.

Edited by Shey (07/17/1306:08 AM)

_________________________
Alfreds All In One Level 1 graduate and various other tutor sourcesAlfreds Masterworks Classics Level 1-2Fundamental KeysAdult returner

I tried the Greatest Hits book and was promptly bored to death. The songs just don't get my attention. I think I prefer classical music. I bought the full three book set and I wish I could sell them. If anyone wants the set for a decent price, let me know, but shipping is probably around $7.

I have been working on the Alfred Masterwork Classics. I was already enjoying the book, and then I acquired the supplementary Practice and Performance book. It is immensely helpful if you do not have a teacher. Even if you do, it helps during the time at home. I am now learning even more as I play through the book, and it helps me understand how to perfect the pieces. I highly recommend these books.

I return with some progress. I am done with At Last after 2-3 weeks. I guess more like half-done since I wasn't able to polish it as much as I'd like but I am bored and tired so I will move on. Here is the recording: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DQr1Yf3DXc

I also peeked at the first piece from Book 2, and oh my God! It's very very easy compared to the last pieces from Book 1. I am hoping I will have some sweet fast progress at the start of Book 2 again. Also started working on Singing in the Rain. Seems easy enough but I had thought the same thing for At Last.. XD

That was very nice and brought back some memories of my Alfred days. Particularly like the balance of your hands. You were able to bring out the melody in a musical way, and had a nice touch with the left hand accompaniment. Well done.

I didn't expect to be getting through this book so quickly! I only got it 2 days ago, but I'm already up to page 87. I'm guessing it's going to start getting a lot harder from now on though? Should probably order the second one now though, as it'll take at least a week to arrive.

nice playing Sydnal, no sign of it being only half done perhaps you are being a bit hard on yourself. You do have to love a piece before you are willing to put effort and time into the polishing process, great work though.

_________________________
Learning piano starts by taking all your confidence and then over many years drip feeding it back to you

The companion books are called "Masterwork Practice and Performance". They go into detail for each piece, just as a teacher would. They help you find the phrases and focal points of the piece, as well as focus on the feel and sound of the piece from the perspective of a listener. Each piece has a prescribed practice routine and teacher notes. Here is a link to these books.

JimF and earlofmar, a belated thanks for the feedback on the last video, I didn't want to clutter the thread.

I have been working on Singin' in the Rain for a while and had a go at recording it today. Here is the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXTjbpNImq8Once again I'm not satisfied (especially with the ending, I couldn't figure out returning to the original tempo after the ritardando, it just didn't come to me naturally and the counting all messed up) but I think it's enough to move on.

Bravo Bravo on Singin' in da Rain! Now you just need to improve a bit....I'm driving in the snowI'm driving in the snowWhat a wonderful feelin'I'm sliding againVery nice Greensleeves...A special song...

mattroilanh tt - very nicely played just the right lightness of touch for this piece. Moving slowly is how we all feel at times. The learning process is full of peaks and troughs, we have to just wade through the troughs and really maximize our pleasure in the peaks.

sydnal - another well played piece the tempo being played uniformly through out. You captured the happy feel of this piece exactly so well done. I can't say I noticed any problem with the ending, this is how the original song ends. But any concerns you have now will fade as you progress so you are right to let it go and move on.

_________________________
Learning piano starts by taking all your confidence and then over many years drip feeding it back to you

This thread really seems to be really slowing down. I took a long time reading all 540 pages here when I returned to piano. I had hoped now I have caught up with the thread that it would inspire me, but I don't know where you all are! Is there anything we can do to re-liven it up?

I'm on the Can Can at the moment,my previous lessons are coming to the fore and I am catching up to where I left off six or so years ago and feel a steady learning coming on even if I have slowed down, however, I have been very interested in reading about the Bernhardt method, and Graham Fitch's methods of practising piano too that other threads are following.

I want to keep with my Alfred's for now, but I do want a piece of classical to work on, that's doable for me without getting out of my depth, if you understand. So reading about the practise methods has been really interesting. I like Einoudi's music, and hope to find a piece of classical music that is similar in sound if anyone knows of a piece.

I really enjoyed watching "wooddog's" video, of how he is now practising, but he is very accomplished already, so as a beginner, it's hard for me, as I need, step by step so as not to be wondering what to do next.

Hope to hear from someone on the Book 1 and any ideas on beginner practise methods and also a lovely piece for me work with.

Thank you all, in anticipation.

_________________________
Alfreds All In One Level 1 graduate and various other tutor sourcesAlfreds Masterworks Classics Level 1-2Fundamental KeysAdult returner